Perennial Peach
by Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus
Summary: What began as a fun day at the Kukai beach withers into an unexpected dilemma for MOMO regarding herself and Jr. One-Shot.


**_Perennial Peach_**

**SUMMARY**: What began as a fun day at the Kukai beach withers into an unexpected dilemma for MOMO regarding herself and Jr.

**GENRE**: Humor/Angst  
><strong>RATED<strong>: PG-13 / T  
><strong>NOTABLE CONTENT<strong>: Language & Sexual Humor/Themes**  
>PAIRING(S)<strong>: MOMO/Jr. & (Slight) Allen/Shion, Godwins/Gaignun

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Xenosaga_**  
>STORY TAKES PLACE IN<strong>: Generally Episode II/III

**COMMENTS**: I've been struggling to write a Jr./MOMO story for some time. And while this fic wasn't the original Jr./MOMO idea I had, I nevertheless had fun writing this silly yet sentimental one-shot. This story is actually an older idea of mine (early drafts date back to 2009), and it's quite fulfilling for me to finally dust off, finish, and publish this story.

(FFnet continues to flub my word files. Sorry for any formatting issues. I tried to fix them as much as possible). Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Perennial Peach<strong>

_Aiselne Nocturnus_

It was a gorgeous summer day to behold. The hot sun was brilliant, hanging over a picturesque cerulean sky unblemished by clouds. Granted, the perfect weather was artificial, but it was nonetheless a beautiful day on the Kukai Foundation. Such ideal weather conditions mandated everyone to hit the beach.

"I love the beach…" slurred Tony, sitting at the Kukai beach's refreshments bar, admiring the gorgeous day whilst sharing a round of drinks with Matthews and Hammer. Red-faced and grinning like a madman, Tony looked drunk, and he was drunk. Yet, the blonde pilot was sober enough to enjoy the beautiful day…and enjoy the beautiful sight of two bikini-clad women – conveniently the gorgeous Godwin sisters – a short distance away, applying suntan lotion on each other quite generously.

Smiling in drunken satisfaction, Tony sighed dreamily. "Gotta' love the beach's waves, the sand, the sun, the…oooh, yeah that's good, babe…right there. _Right_ there!" Tony muttered excitedly to himself once one sister started rubbing lotion on the other's thigh, up and down…up and down…up… _Shit, it's hot out today_. Slamming a fist against the bar's countertop, the overheated pilot declared, "Hot damn! I love the beach!"

"I hear ya, Tony," Hammer agreed with a huge, silly grin on his face, watching the same show and just as drunk with pleasure as his friend. He already had to ask for another glass of cold water after watching Mary and Shelley's show. "Damn! I love the beach!" the navigator jubilantly cried when the oblivious, yet _very_ lovely, ladies started migrating northward to lotion each other's…

"That's enough, ya morons!" Matthews loudly grumbled, snapping his cohorts back to reality via whacks upside their heads. Unlike his younger colleagues, Matthews was a bit more modest (unless, of course, those ladies happened to be the Seraphim Sisters, but that was another fantasy for another time). Matthews held nothing against male curiosity, but his intoxication-induced headache left him with zero tolerance for Tony and Hammer's hormone drives at the moment.

Besides, there were _minors_ present for God's sake! Even more so, Mary and Shelley were the men's superiors amongst the Kukai Foundation and deserved a little more respect. "Save yer perverted fantasies for when we're _not_ in the presence of Little Master and his friends!" Matthews scolded whilst narrowing his eyes and noticing his cohorts' noses were bleeding. "And preferably when yer not in _my_ presence, either. Keep it behind closed doors, dammit."

Speaking of Little Master and his friends, several members of the group were busy playing frisbee a short distance from the snack bar. All were clad in their swimsuits and going in and out of the water to fetch the disc whenever it went out of bounds. Of course, retrieving the toy from the refreshing water was half the fun, too.

It was MOMO's turn to swim out and fetch the red frisbee after Ziggy's powerful shot. The cyborg offered to retrieve it but MOMO happily obliged. Prior to coming to the Kukai Foundation, the Realian never knew she could swim. It was only after first visiting the Kukai beach that MOMO realized she had data on "swimming" buried in her memory banks.

However, what was not stored in her memory was the knowledge of how much _fun_ it was to swim! She absolutely loved the feeling of gliding through the water, feeling its cool, serene liquid against her skin. MOMO relished the liquid brushing through her pink hair as she submerged. When she stayed underwater for an extended amount of time, MOMO felt as though she was weightlessly drifting in a transparent aquamarine fantasyland. It was even more whimsical when various artificial, colored fish swam around her, as if she was a mermaid and they were her faithful pets. MOMO loved the beach!

Spying the floating frisbee from under the water, MOMO ascended and surfaced, taking a gasp of salty air before seizing the disc. Holding the red frisbee with one hand, the young Realian used her other hand to wipe away the wet pink hair stuck to her face. Due to the water content, her short wavy hair was straightened and extended past her shoulders. MOMO actually liked it that way, since her hair never grew. She always wanted long beautiful hair like Shion and KOS-MOS. Remembering her friends reminded MOMO that they were waiting for her back on the shore, so the Realian about-faced and swam back whence she came.

"I got it!" MOMO cheered as she emerged from the water, stepping onto the shore's squishy sand and holding the dripping frisbee like a trophy. Naturally, the disc game's participants – Jr., Ziggy, and chaos – crowded around her. The foursome had been playing frisbee for about an hour. Meanwhile, Shion, KOS-MOS, Jin, Allen, and the invited Miyuki were enjoying ice cream, fruit salads, and parfaits under a nearby umbrella table. Once MOMO retrieved the frisbee the game could resume.

"Great job, MOMO," Jr. praised before accepting the toy from her, shooting a playful look in Ziggy's direction. "Now, next time don't chuck the frisbee like you're trying to shoot down a starship, old man," the redhead chuckled, hearing a few giggles from MOMO whilst the cyborg maintained his typically unfazed expression. "Damn, I thought you were trying to blow a hole through the Foundation's exterior walls or something." Knowing Ziggy, he probably was powerful enough to do so, too.

Laughing sweetly, MOMO wore a bright smile before skipping to the lone cyborg's defense. "Ziggy just doesn't know his own strength," the little girl teased, glancing up at him and noticing Ziggy return her a discreet expression of appreciation only MOMO could identify. Her smile broadening, MOMO giggled again before putting a hand on her father figure's mechanical arm. "He's not accustomed to playing games like these, after all."

"Yeah, well, just remember that this _is_ a 'game,' okay, cyborg?" Jr. advised with another chuckle before passing the frisbee to chaos, not wanting to give Ziggy possession of the disc again lest he fire it like a missile. "Keep shooting the frisbee like that and you're gonna' kill someone."

"Spokin' from someone who enjoys shootin' pistols all over the place, eh Little Mastah'?"

Mary Godwin's accented voice suddenly chimed in as she and Shelley strolled over to the frisbee players, both women in swimsuits with a glistening layer of fresh sunblock. The pretty sisters wore bikinis, albeit very different styles. Naturally, Shelley's black two-piece was the more modest. The top portion covered a bit more cleavage and tied behind her neck with a long, elegant black ribbon cascading down her back. The only reason the ribbon could be seen was because the older girl tied her long violet hair into a ponytail to keep the cumbersome locks off her face.

Mary, on the other hand, kept her curly blonde hair in its usual style, albeit absent of her hat and any hair clips that might get lost in the water. Her blue bikini was made of less material than Shelley's: strapless with spaghetti-thick ribbons to keep everything in place. The strings tying both sides of her bikini's bottom swayed elegantly against Mary's hips with every move.

Tony and Hammer were not the only fellows getting their share of eye candy that afternoon. Eying the youngest Godwin sister up and down, it became difficult for a grin not to pull Jr.'s lips. To be expected, Mary noticed the wicked smirk plastered across the brat's face, causing the woman to narrow her blue eyes wittily.

"Eat ya heart out, Little Mastah'," Mary chimed sarcastically, purposely folding her arms over her chest upon noticing the redhead's eyes particularly fixated on it. The blonde's guileful smirk broadened upon hearing a few pesky sniggers from Jr.'s mouth, before Mary playfully turned away from the young-looking man. "You and those wanderin' eyes of yours beta' behave or I'll spank ya!"

Chuckling further, Jr. flashed her another devilish grin before sizing up the lovely lady's flawless figure again. His and Mary's playful relationship always shined during moments like these, coercing Jr. to play along with her.

"Sounds fun," he whispered in a lewd tone, allowing a pinky finger to tease one of the straps that tied together Mary's bikini bottom. "How bout' we take turns, Mary?"

His wandering fingers were slapped away faster than light speed. "Little _Mastah'_!" Mary hissed, spinning around with a look of fake shock on her face. The twosome was only playing, not that Mary was about to let the Little Master get away with such a sneaky comment. "I said _be-have_!" she spoke as if addressing a dog, though her tone provoked more mischief from Jr. "Otha'wise, I'm tellin' Mastah' Gaignun! You were the one who nagged him to come to the beach, too, so just wait till' he gets here."

Her threat did not frighten Jr. Frankly, Jr. enjoyed flirting with the Godwin sisters, purposely because he knew it drove Gaignun crazy, not that his nonchalant little brother ever showed it. The U.R.T.V.s knew each other well enough to know how the other's mind worked. They were, after all, telepathically connected.

"Good point," Jr. pretended to admit defeat, before flashing Mary his smirk. "Gaignun's bound to get pissed if he finds out you're spanking anyone but him."

"_Little Mastah'_! _Why you_–!"

The onlookers of the show watched with shaking heads as a red-faced Mary started chasing the red-haired Little Master across the sand. Chuckling to herself, MOMO admired the scene with a smile on her face, especially upon noticing Mary catch up to Jr. Being the one with the longer legs, it was not difficult for the blonde to snatch her little culprit. MOMO's sensors estimated it took approximately 3.4 seconds before a blur of red went catapulting into the water, followed by Mary's victorious cheers echoing across the shore. Fun was what the beach was all about, right?

"_Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh_!"

Then again…

MOMO did not have time to ponder before a high-pitched scream pierced through everyone's eardrums. The sound was feminine, very loud, and _very_ close. Without even looking, MOMO identified the horrible, blood-curdling shriek to belong to none other than…

"…Shion?"

MOMO immediately turned away from the waterfront alongside Ziggy, chaos, and Shelley. Instinctively, the foursome rushed over to the umbrella table where they last saw Shion and the other half of their troop. Their table still stood, but around it were five toppled beach chairs, lying beside the standing figures of Shion, Allen, Jin, KOS-MOS, and Miyuki. According to MOMO's sensors, the four humans and one android were not hurt, albeit scanners indicated that there was an increased level of tension and anxiety. Shion's levels, especially, seemed high.

"What's wrong?" chaos calmly asked, his gentle voice a dire contrast to Shion's outraged composure. As if she never heard chaos, the Vector chief kept her eyes locked dead-onto the man standing across from her, wearing flustered look on his own face.

"Allen Ridgeley, HOW COULD YOU?" a swimsuit clad Shion screamed, crossing her arms across her chest very similarly to the way Mary did a moment ago. Trembling as if she were cold on this humid summer day, Shion's body vibrated alongside the infuriated look displayed on her red face. No doubt, Shion was not cold, and her body's trembling was due to a very high amount of anxiety, tension, and anger. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

Allen was displaying a high level of anxiety as well. Timidly scratching the back of his neck, the deputy chief's blue eyes widened skittishly. His knees buckled discreetly, and a few beads of sweat formed at his brow, beads MOMO deduced were not triggered by the beach's hot temperature. "C-Chief…let me…let me explain–"

"Oh don't even speak to me right now!" Shion continued to rant, shaking her head so wildly it caused the braid by her face's left cheek to unravel. "God! How could you do that to _me_, Allen? How _could_ you?" At this moment, Shion sounded on the brink of tears.

Allen sounded the same. "C-Chief…it was an accident!"

"'Accident' my foot!"

"I _swear_!"

"What the hell's goin' on with those two?" MOMO suddenly heard Jr. wonder beside her, causing the pink-haired Realian to briefly turn and notice his saltwater-soaked form. Mary had also silently joined the audience, standing beside her sister and equally curious over Shion and Allen's current drama. Everyone wore perturbed expressions as the Vector employees continued screaming up a storm, a storm arguably worse than the beach's synthetic skies could produce.

"Allen, I swear to God, I'll _NEVER_ speak to you again for as _long as I live_!"

"Chief! _No_! Don't! Let me explain, _please_!"

"I'm through talking with you!"

"_PLEASE_!"

"Alright! _Alright_!" piped up Jr., raising his agitated voice high enough to silence the bickerers. "Dammit. Cease and desist you two!"

As if Jr.'s loud mouth were as powerful as Gaignun's hypnosis, Shion and Allen shut their traps, though Shion quickly about-faced in a loud _Hmph!_ undoubtedly for Allen's benefit. Behind her, the lesser chief slowly dipped his head in defeat, slouching and keeping his sad eyes on the grains of sand at his bare feet.

_Oh boy_, Jr. sighed, darting his eyes back and forth from Allen's pitiful form to Shion's stubborn back. The Little Master could just imagine whatever instigated Shion and Allen's tiff, and wondered if he really wanted to get in the middle of it. Unfortunately, Jr. was not about to allow pandemonium to break loose at his beach due to some stupid lovers quarrel.

Sighing and figuring, _Might as well get this over with_, Jr. folded his arms over his own chest before broaching the inevitable. "So which one of you feels like telling us what the hell happened?"

Naturally, neither Shion nor Allen uttered a peep, which coerced another exasperated sigh from Jr. Feeling as though he was talking two brick walls, the U.R.T.V.'s azure eyes wandered to the other three occupants of the umbrella table. KOS-MOS was typically unreadable, Jin's face was frozen in a silently serious frown, and Miyuki was…_giggling_?

"Oh, I'll tell you what happened!" Miyuki delightfully offered, causing Allen's head to shoot back up as if it were spring-activated. Snickering almost as lively as Jr. was earlier, the brown-eyed brunette pranced between her arguing co-workers, swaying her hips to briefly flaunt her purple bikini. Allen shot Miyuki an expression that begged for mercy, but the ever-playful girl disregarded it and shouted to the beach, "Allen went after Shion's melons!"

The expression on Allen's face was arguably hotter than the sun. As dozens more beachgoers turned their heads towards Miyuki's declaration, Allen almost crapped himself. _Could you have screamed that any LOUDER, Miyuki? I don't think everybody on Second Miltia heard you!_ Where was a god to strike him down when Allen needed one?

As for MOMO, she blinked strangely, glancing back at the abandoned umbrella table where Shion and Allen originally sat. Due to the commotion, the table's occupants never finished their ice cream and fruit desserts. And just as Miyuki implied, there was one fancy dish that displayed perfect slices of green kiwi, pink watermelon, and orange melon.

"Oh…Shion…" MOMO muttered softly, returning her attention to the enraged Shion and moping Allen. She really did not understand why Shion was making such a fuss over Allen; there were more than enough melon pieces for the Vector employees to share! Shion never struck MOMO as the stingy type. "…If Allen wanted your melons, you could've just given them to him," she nodded, feeling it was only fair. "You could've shared them with _everyone_ and…_Jr. are you okay_?" the little girl suddenly squeaked, noticing the redhead double-over in hysterics.

Knowing he was being exceptionally rude to MOMO (never mind acting exceedingly immature for his real age), Jr. covered his mouth, poorly stifling the snickers and snorts just _dying_ to be unleashed. Not wanting to offend the young Realian, Jr. managed to recompose himself, though he could not wipe that grin off his reddening face.

"Y-yeah…" Jr. replied in a chuckle, clearing his throat in a feeble attempt to handle this matter in a mature fashion.

Miyuki, on the other hand, had no qualms about acting immature. During her giggle fit, her hands retreated behind her head of short brown hair. "Uh…not _those_ 'melons,' MOMO," she corrected, drawing the pink-haired child's attention back to the young woman.

MOMO noticed there was a very silly grin on Miyuki's pink face. Jr.'s face was rather red, too. Come to think of it, all scanners indicated that almost everyone's faces around MOMO were sporting some degree of blush.

As for Miyuki, she jaunted across the sand, crazily snickering before adding, "Allen wanted _these_ kinds of melons," she noted, pulling up the straps of her bikini just enough to cause her top to bounce – or more specifically, cause what _filled_ her top to bounce.

Blinking strangely, MOMO's amber eyes darted from the exhibitionist Miyuki to Allen and Shion. Allen looked like he wanted to die right then and there, while Shion's arms tightened across her chest in a _very_ protective manner. What MOMO could not understand was, _What does this have to do with melons?_

Another group member's scanners seemed to process MOMO's confusion. Therefore, KOS-MOS took a few graceful steps forward, standing beside Shion whilst addressing the little Realian with her monotone voice:

"To be precise, approximately three minutes and 47.6 seconds ago, Mr. Allen Ridgeley's right hand made physical contact with Ms. Shion Uzuki's chest, thereafter instilling our current dilemma. To more efficiently define Ms. Miyuki Itsumi's colloquialisms of 'melons,' she is referring to 'breasts.' To more efficiently define 'breasts,' they are a pair of protruding organs situated in the upper frontal portions of a woman's body. Upon impregnation, these organs secrete…"

"Uh…yeah…we understand now, KOS-MOS! Thankyouverymuch!" Shion promptly rambled in a disturbed voice, interrupting the android before KOS-MOS started explaining where babies came from. Blushing brightly, Shion waved a dismissing hand to her blue-haired android to signal that KOS-MOS provided ample information…a bit _too_ much information for Shion's taste.

"You are welcome, Shion," KOS-MOS dispassionately replied. "I am happy to be of service."

"There's 'service,' alright," Miyuki sneered before lowering her arms and strolling over to nudge Allen's arm. "_Right_, Allen?"

Embarrassed beyond belief, the flushed-faced Allen finally raised his head to defend whatever honor he had left. "I swear to God, I didn't intend to…" he trailed, blushing brightly as he attempted to formulate his words as wisely as possible. The fact that his right hand was still warm from touching Shion's… "It was an _accident_!"

Of course, nobody believed him. Everybody knew Allen Ridgeley loved Shion Uzuki…well, everybody except Shion. Friends had to admit this groping episode was a bit bold for Allen's quiet character. Then again, Shion's obliviousness was bound to frustrate the lovesick man sooner or later. If Allen became desperate enough…well, heavens knew Shion could never take a hint unless Allen got extreme.

"Yeah riiight, Allen," Miyuki snorted, placing her hands on her hips and grinning like a madwoman. "You practically dove across the table to get your hands on them! Hyperspace doesn't move that quickly!"

"It's not what you think!" Allen flailed his arms, desperately attempting to explain himself. He knew it was no use convincing Miyuki, but Allen wanted to at least let Shion know the truth. "Look, a piece of fruit broke off while Chief was eating and I tried to catch it for her."

"And the fruit just-so-happed to land in Shion's _cleavage_?" Miyuki asked with a severely raised eyebrow, before bursting into laughter again. "_Suuure_, Allen!" she humored, slapping a hand against Allen's back, causing him to stumble forward. True, the reason bibs were invented was because anything that fell from the mouth's region inevitably headed south to the chest. Leave it to Allen ensure his precious Chief did not dirty herself, or dirty her stunning swimsuit. Soft fruit tended to drip or easily fall apart, too. Even so… "Ha! I'll believe that when I see it!"

"If you request," KOS-MOS suddenly interjected. "It would be possible to view a live recording of Mr. Ridgeley's testimony stored inside my data software."

"_Ooooh_, there's a thought!" Miyuki squealed devilishly, while Allen looked horrified. "And KOS-MOS' video encryption's Triple-A, too! You can't get any more concrete evidence than that!" the brunette noted, before strolling over to the android and declaring, "Alrighty, KOS-MOS! Let's go to the videotape!"

"MIYUKI!" Allen screamed, before looking for somebody…_anybody_…who might willingly support him. He knew he was innocent, but there was no denying that what happened between him and Shion just did not _look_ good. It would be easy for any video recording to show Allen touching Shion, but would be a little harder to show the man's inner reasons for doing so – naughty or not. Allen wanted somebody to back him up! Alas, nobody else was at the table during the mishap, other than him, Shion, KOS-MOS, Miyuki, and…

"_Jin_!" cried Allen, rushing over to Shion's older brother and begging for the longhaired man's help. "Jin, you were there! You saw what really happened, right?"

Far more composed than Allen ever could be, Jin calmly closed his eyes while maintaining his serious demeanor. "I did, Allen," nodded Jin, much to Allen's unprecedented relief.

Unfortunately, once Jin _opened_ his eyes…Allen made a dramatic leap backwards upon meeting the tip of the swordsman's katana. "And it would be in your best interest if you _never_ touch my sister like that ever again," Jin warned in a very deep, threatening voice, causing Allen to gulp soundly whilst the blade glared into him.

"Will you put that stupid sword away, Jin?" Shion suddenly exclaimed, unintentionally relieving Allen from Jin's slicing and dicing. Running a hand through her long brown hair, Shion shook her throbbing head. Which was more obnoxious; Allen's groping, or her no-good brother's ancient, asinine fetishes? "Gimmie a break! What kind of an idiot brings a sword to the beach?"

"Probably the same kindah' idiot who carries around guns all the time, eh Little Mastah'?" Mary teasingly jabbed Jr., causing the redhead to shoot her another playful glare. With the rest of his crew forgotten as Shion's party digressed into randomness, Jr. returned to the safety of the sidelines. The redhead still attempted to remain as composed as possible, though it was very difficult ignoring the urge to roll around in the sand and laugh his ass off. Shion and Allen's show was priceless, more entertaining than his party's frisbee game.

As for MOMO, she continued to watch Shion and Allen bicker, while Miyuki occasionally reiterated the "melon" joke (or "colloquialism" as KOS-MOS identified). Despite the android's explanation, MOMO still did not fully understand how melons related to breasts. Breasts certainly were not _made_ of melon, nor did they possess any similar properties. MOMO failed to understand the correlation, which was odd for a 100-Series Observational Realian. MOMO effortlessly understood complex algorithms and calculations, but simple melons had her stumped!

Not being able to process this situation like an observational-grade Realian should, MOMO started feeling very uncomfortable. While everyone else was preoccupied with Allen and Shion's melons, MOMO slinked away towards the snack bar. She did not intend to eat anything, though a particular platter of fruit caught her attention. The plate was just like the one at Shion's table, decorated with kiwis, grape bunches, and of course, melon. Naturally, the platter was not hers to touch, and MOMO was polite enough not to help herself. However, that did not mean she was uncurious to better understand those melons.

"What'll it be, miss?" the snack bar tender suddenly asked, glancing over the counter to the tiny Realian. Like many Life Recycling variants residing in the Kukai Foundation, the vender was half-man, half-machine; holding a pad of paper in a humanoid hand, while the other hand was mechanical and held a pen to write orders. He seemed similar to Ziggy, albeit MOMO sensed his mechanical parts were for industrial use, rather than combat. "Kids can have a one-scoop sugar cone on the house, ya know."

As nice as the offer sounded, MOMO deeply absorbed his seemingly-simple words. "_Kids_," as in _MOMO_ was just a kid. Maybe that was why she did not understand what her older friends joked about.

_Kid._

Technically, MOMO was not a "kid." Since her activation shortly followed the Miltian Conflict, MOMO Mizrahi was closer to fourteen years old. More specifically, she was not "born" like normal people who took their first breaths as bitty babies. The 100-Series Prototype was purposely born in a twelve-year-old body, and remained static for the past fourteen years.

Realians never age, at least from what MOMO knew. Based on herself, MOMO assumed that if her twelve-year-old physique had not matured in the past fourteen years, it never would change. If her body did possess the capacity to age, then after fourteen years the twelve-year-old-born MOMO would probably now resemble a twenty-six-year-old. Yet, she was still a little girl, leaving MOMO to conclude that she would perpetually be a child.

Apparently, she partially had the mindset of a child as well. MOMO understood that her daddy wished for his Realian daughter to be a paragon of purity and do good deeds.

However, MOMO also knew that as compensation for being so pure, MOMO was also a tad naïve. This naivety was not to be confused with "stupidity," certainly. MOMO was a Realian of utmost intelligence, but there was no denying that MOMO failed to understand more "adult" topics. Joachim obviously did not bother to program MOMO with vulgarities capable of tainting her so-called purity. Besides, how could lewd language benefit a Realian intended to remain a twelve-year-old goody-goody?

True, she was programmed with understanding human anatomy and reproduction, but other things – such as sex-related slang – stumped MOMO. The older members of MOMO's group obviously understood Miyuki's joke. Hell, even Jr. understood the joke, but…well, he was fortunate to have the mindset of his actual age, regardless of his appearance. MOMO's programming did not make her so lucky. Although MOMO was older than she looked, her twelve-year-old mindset prevented her from quickly processing the melon innuendo. It was obviously a joke meant for grown-up minds.

_Grown-up._

It was during times like these when MOMO realized how different she was from the others. Technically, MOMO was not the "youngest" member of the group. KOS-MOS had only been activated a short while ago, but the android was fortunate to have been programmed with a mindset that was years ahead of the teenage body she possessed. The android obviously understood Miyuki's joke long before MOMO. All of the Realian's other friends were over twenty years old, and Ziggy was over one hundred years old! MOMO was not absolutely certain how old chaos was, but she always thought he behaved more maturely than his adolescent form suggested. Nevertheless, everyone else harbored adult mindsets, while MOMO was left behind.

She had the mind of the child, and a body to go along with it.

Peering down her pink swimsuit, it was not difficult for MOMO to see the vast differences between her and older girls like Shion, Miyuki, and KOS-MOS. No doubt, the blue-haired android was completely unaware of how lucky she was to have been built and "born" with an adult body. _Fuller figures, longer legs and hair_… Older girls – _women_ – were so much prettier, and–

MOMO stopped herself. Joachim wanted her to be a paragon of purity, and yet she was thinking so jealously. She just committed one of the seven deadly sins. Instead, MOMO should count her blessings. She was a Realian who had wonderful friends, a loving mother, and lived lavishly compared to mass-produced 100-Series or the unfortunate Kirschwassers. MOMO Mizrahi was an exceptionally lucky girl. There was no need for her to be jealous of anything or anyone.

_So then_… She paused, shamefully chewing her lip. _Why do I feel this way?_

Thinking and feeling such, maybe MOMO was tainting her father's memory. Sakura's successor had every intention of upholding Joachim's dream. Alas, a part of MOMO could not help but believe her intended "purity" was an exaggerated ideal not even she could fully reach. Not condoning the actions of a madman, but it was Albedo who opened MOMO's eyes to the reality of her existence. She would always strive for goodness, but no longer was MOMO blind to the truth: there is no such thing as total purity.

So, did that mean there was no fault in MOMO feeling frustrated for never physically growing up? Was it so damnable for her to feel envious of luckier women who caught boys' eyes? Or, were these feelings just the prices of being human, regardless of MOMO's Realian classification?

Never before had MOMO felt so confused.

"Hiya, MOMO! Why tha' long face?"

Just like breaking the water's surface, MOMO emerged from her somber train of thought. Unexpectedly sitting beside her was a smiling Mary Godwin and her older sister Shelley. It was almost impossible for MOMO to frown when Mary's smile could illuminate a room. The blonde's cheerfulness was utterly contagious.

Yet… MOMO felt her smile sag when she heard few male patrons (who sounded like Tony and Hammer) whistle the grand arrival of the voluptuous Godwins. Having their own fan club, not to mention having Gaignun Kukai, Mary and Shelley took their fanboys' ogles with a grain of salt. The ladies remained nonchalant, the immense attention being nothing new. If men looked at MOMO that way, her blush might overheat her into fainting!

"Little Mastah's houndin' Mastah' Gaignun again to come down to the beach," spoke Mary. "He was looking around for ya a short while ago, though. Why'dja disappear all of sudden, MOMO? Somethin' botherin' ya?"

Despite being a sharp Realian, MOMO found it difficult to wisely formulate her words. Her tongue tied. Should she talk to Mary and Shelley? They were caring, trustworthy women. During the incident at Second Miltia's Control Center, Mary was one of the first people to MOMO's side, whispering sweet words to calm the frightened Realian. Mary was also the first to embrace MOMO when they fretted over Jr. running off to singlehandedly fight Albedo. In some ways, Mary was on par with Shion when it came to MOMO's supplemental mother figures, although nobody could ever replace Juli. Surely, MOMO could talk to Mary and her sister when it came to personal subjects.

"Mary. Shelley," began MOMO, quietly addressing each girl. Perhaps it was because she was programmed to be a polite young lady, but MOMO felt uncomfortable discussing mature subjects of such caliber. She also worried that the Godwins may think less of the child once the conversation ended. But having gained the sisters' full attentions, there was no going back now. "May I ask you a personal question?"

A silly question asked, but the Godwins never hesitated to nod. "Of course, MOMO," Shelley affirmed, her silky voice calming a fraction of MOMO's fears.

"Well…" MOMO paused, trying to find the correct words. She was not stupid enough to ask self-centered questions like, "Do you think I'm pretty?" but MOMO did not want to beat around the bush and confuse the Godwins, either. Realians were programmed to be precise, not cryptic. But sometimes, suggestive subjects were better broached with discretion, such as Miyuki's melon colloquialisms, rather than KOS-MOS' point-blank _Boobs 101_. What was the best route for MOMO to take?

"Well…after what just happened with Allen and Shion, I was just wondering if…um…" Unable to help herself, MOMO felt her cheeks flush with each passing syllable. MOMO wished she brought her beret just to hide her sheepish face. The shy little Realian was definitely not programmed for these kinds of conversations. "…Do boys…I-I mean men…is t-that what they really like?"

MOMO's question was not the most perspicuous of Realian speech. Fortunately, Mary and Shelley were not idiots, so they had little difficulty piecing together MOMO's puzzle. It was surprising to hear MOMO, of all people, ask such a bold question. But after the Realian's confusion over Miyuki's melon gag, perhaps the current conversation was inevitable.

Seeing MOMO's pink, pitiful face easily melted Mary's heart. Mary remembered her own pre-teenage years, conscious about her body like most girls entering adolescence. Apparently, though MOMO was not maturing on the outside, the inside was a completely different story. The blonde woman resisted the urge to maternally squeal over her little MOMO growing up.

Thinking identically to her younger sister, Shelley offered MOMO a gentle smile. "I'm sure Miss Miyuki was exaggerating her side of the story just to humiliate Allen." Regardless of the melons' hilarity, Allen Ridgeley was too apprehensive of a guy to "dive across a table" to fondle Shion's breasts (in public, right next to Shion's sword-wielding big brother, no less). Suicidal smut-stunts might be the handiworks of perverts like Tony and Hammer, but not Allen. Shelley knew a gentleman when she saw one.

"Still, ya can't convince me that Allen hasn't fantasized bout' Shion before," giggled Mary, earning a subtle eye roll from Shelley. "We all saw tha' looks he gave her when Shion first came outside in her bikini. It's a miracle Allen's eyes stayed n' their sockets."

Allen was not the only male eyeing Shion on the beach, not to mention Mary and Shelley's fanboy ogles. Did anyone ever behave that way when MOMO stepped onto the sand? At best, MOMO only got a thankful cheer from Jr. when she retrieved the frisbee from the water. She was not the type of girl to seek praise, but then again, MOMO never thought she was the type of girl to seek bodily compliments from–

"If you don't mind my asking, is there a specific reason why you asked us that question, MOMO?"

"Yeah! Ya curious bout' boys? Hehe! There' someone ya tryin' ta get a compliment outta'? Why MOMO, you're the cutest young lady this foundation's eva' seen!"

There was no stopping the red assault on MOMO's face. Perhaps she should have expected Shelley and Mary's counterattacks. Try as she might, the Realian failed to concoct a decent excuse to conceal her true intentions. Unfortunately, lying was not MOMO's forte, so she could not hide from the Godwins even if she wished. That did not stop the girl from lowering her blushing face, mimicking Allen's earlier shame.

"N-no…" MOMO lied very poorly, and she knew the Godwins saw through her transparency. "Of course not. I-I mean, I'm just wondering if all men are like that, that's all."

Mary was not convinced and neither was her sister. "Well, I suppose it's sexist to say _ev'ry_ guy's a total perv. There're plenty of fine gents out there, too." Mary and Shelley were the lucky ladies of one. "It all depends on findin' tha' right guy who appreciates _you_, not just appreciates ya body. Shelley n' I learned that a long time ago."

Blinking amber eyes, MOMO looked at each of the sisters' earnest faces. Admittedly, it was difficult for MOMO to envision Mary and Shelley Godwin having any difficulty attracting Mr. Right. Men could not tear away their bug-eyes from the beautiful ladies. If MOMO did not know better, she might have assumed the sisters were humoring or mocking her, but MOMO did know better, naturally. Even so, that did not make Mary and Shelley's following tale any less surprising.

"Back when we were around your age, MOMO, Mary and I were very different girls," Shelley remembered, placing a gentle hand on her little sister's bare shoulder. "When Master Gaignun and Little Master rescued us from our pharmaceutical captors, I can assure you that we looked nothing like we do today. It took a long time for the experiments' medications and side effects to wear off before our bodies could properly grow. The only time we ever visited a beach was privately with Master Gaignun and Little Master. We were much too conscientious of ourselves to be seen in public until our late teens."

"But ya know somethin', MOMO?" Mary smiled rhetorically, dreamily cocking her head whilst reminiscing. "Mastah' Gaignun n' Little Mastah' always made us feel beautiful. Afta' all those experiments, Shelley n' I probably looked like human-Gnosis hybrids. And even when our bodies finally began to develop normally, we were such scrawny little things at first.

"I know I didn't have much self-esteem when I was your age, but ya know what Little Mastah' did ta fix that? He started a freakin' _fan club_ for us, not so people could point n' laugh at how ugly we looked, but to boost our confidences. I couldn't believe it at first. But by now, I've learned that goin' ova'board is Little Mastah's specialty, hehe."

Swallowing a flood of emotions induced by the Godwins' story, MOMO felt a dear smile return to her lips. It was an honor for MOMO to hear this private tale from the survivors' mouths. She doubted half of those gawking men were aware of, or even cared about, the unspoken background of Mary and Shelley Godwin. Beauty came with a price, and after everything the Godwins underwent, MOMO knew they deserved every happiness. What a fool she was for being so jealous!

Plus, there was no denying the warmth MOMO felt when she thought about Gaignun and Jr. It was admirable of them to rescue and give Mary and Shelley homes, but the brothers even went the extra mile to make the girls as happy as possible. MOMO already held very high regards for the Kukais, but now her opinions of them had skyrocketed.

"So ya see, MOMO…ya got no reason ta worry bout' Little Mastah' likin' ya. I know that scamp doesn't always act like it, but he can be a gentleman…heh, when he wants ta be."

Mary's wonderful words put each one of MOMO's worries at ease. Perhaps there was nothing for MOMO to worry about in the first place. All of her friends obviously cherished her for who she was, not as the coveted 100-Series Prototype, but as family. And even if "family" was the deepest form of love they shared, MOMO should be thankful. MOMO _was_ thankful. Just as the Kukais made the Godwins feel beautiful, there were several occasions when Jr. made MOMO feel beautiful, too–

_Wait a minute_… So preoccupied with her inner dilemma, only now did MOMO fully process what Mary just said – the deeper meaning behind the blonde's words.

Gold eyes widening within an already beet-red face, it took every ounce of Realian self-control for MOMO not to squeal in embarrassment. "But…w-wait!" she stammered, feeling abnormally warmer than the beach's preset temperature. Bull's-eye! Mary just had to mention his name, yes? "I-I…I didn't say I was…worried about Jr….liking…I-I just…umm…"

Why she bothered to lie, MOMO did not know, but there was no fooling Mary and Shelley. Though Mary giggled louder, Shelley's quieter chuckles were unmistakable. The women read right through MOMO, and clearly knew the little girl's true intentions from the start. Now, MOMO _really_ wished she could hide underneath her beret. Never before had MOMO felt so…so… So scrambled, she could not even find the best adjective to describe herself. Why was this trivial conversation frazzling Joachim Mizrahi's best Realian?

"Aaw, don't be embarrassed, MOMO! Ya look so cute!" Mary chuckled, wrapping an arm around the poor, sweet girl. It was difficult to decide who had looked more mortified today: MOMO or Allen. Mary remembered being MOMO's age, worrying if Master Gaignun and Little Master would like her pigtails, or makeup, or whatever Mary did to pretty herself. She recalled Shelley often asking for the Kukais' opinions during clothes shopping: "Do you like this outfit, Master Gaignun?" which Gaignun always answered, "Get whichever outfit _you_ like, Shelley." _Bless his heart_, Mary smiled, while maternally admiring the sheepish Realian in her arm. _And bless MOMO's heart, too._

"Betta' than anyone, you should know that Little Mastah' wouldn't judge ya like that, MOMO," noted Mary, her voice impressively altering from teases to truth. But just as MOMO lifted her crimson cheeks to lock eyes with Mary, the young Godwin flashed another devious smirk. She and Jr. may flirt, but it was in good humor. Her half-embracing arm rising to ruffle MOMO's damp hair, Mary giggled wickedly, "Afta' all, he's got no right to judge when he's gotta' bunch of size complexes of his own."

"Mary…" Shelley murmured with discretion, knowing her sister was beginning to tread dangerously thin ice. Shelley was not 100% innocent of lightly teasing Little Master, herself, but it was a different story when MOMO was around. The macho redhead would throw a shitfit if he knew Mary discussed his shortcomings with the young lady he perpetually tried to protect and impress.

Maybe it was rude to smile at Mary's tease, but MOMO could not ignore the upward curling of her lips. Come to think of it, Jr. probably shouldered similar anxieties when it came to his unchanging body. Boys and girls were different, of course, but it was reassuring for MOMO to realize she was not completely alone.

"No need to worry, MOMO!" The pink-haired girl then heard Mary chirp, the woman rising to her feet beside her sister. "Today's a picture-perfect day, so don't you waste it, ya hear? Like I said, Little Mastah' was lookin' for ya earlier, hehe."

It was the first time all day that MOMO blushed without feeling the need to burry herself under the sand. She still fidgeted coyly, and she still absentmindedly peered down at her feet, but the warmth in her chest drove MOMO to return Mary's sunny smile.

After appreciative hugs and farewells, the wise Godwins departed. No surprise, the sisters were shadowed by a flock of grinning guys. No longer did the scene perturb MOMO…especially when each one of those men was shot down the moment those pretty ladies dashed into the arms of their handsome master. In casual slacks, blouse, and shoes, it was easy to pinpoint Gaignun amidst the underdressed crowd. While the gushing Mary and Shelley latched onto each of his arms, the rest of the Godwins' admirers retired to the bar for cold drinks.

Shaking her head, MOMO turned to see the vendor preparing for the inevitable onslaught of orders. Feeling like a million dollars after speaking with Mary and Shelley, MOMO could not resist getting the tender's attention. A free kids ice cream cone sounded pretty appealing right now.

"Excuse me, sir," she asked politely. "If you get the chance, I wouldn't mind that sugar cone."

"Is that all? Jeez, MOMO, a day like this deserves _at least_ a banana split. My treat!"

Just like Gaignun made an appearance for Mary and Shelley, Jr. hopped onto the vacated stool beside MOMO. Despite being told that Jr. was looking for her, MOMO did not expect to bump into him almost immediately after the Godwins left. Before MOMO had a chance to thoroughly absorb the women's advice, the fiery object of her anxieties and affections barged onto the scene.

She wanted to curse her tongue for tying all over again.

"So why've you been sitting around here, MOMO?" Jr. inquired after ordering a sundae with extra-everything-on-it that neither kid could possibly finish. His bright, boyish eyes meeting hers, MOMO almost defaulted to self-consciousness. "Seemed like you disappeared after Allen pretended to be Gaignun."

Jr.'s naughty snort was promptly interrupted by a quick jerk of his head. Grunting a cuss, Jr. rubbed the back of his hair, peering over his shoulder to where Gaignun too-innocently lounged with Mary and Shelley. As a telepathic fistfight apparently ensued between the U.R.T.V. brothers, MOMO's giggles melt her awkwardness.

"That's the thanks I get for dragging my brother's boring ass out into the fresh air," grumbled Jr., returning his attention to his Realian friend. "Anyway, I was wondering where you went, MOMO. You missed KOS-MOS' video testimony! Man, whoever thinks that jokes aren't funny the second time around hasn't seen Allen Ridgeley fumble with Shion's knockers. Even if it was accidental, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's a closet boob guy." And like the child he was, Jr. nearly laughed himself off his seat.

MOMO feared that _she_ was not matured enough for _Jr_.'s standards?

Maybe Gaignun mentally slapped another round of sense back into his brain, but Jr.'s giggling was short-lived. MOMO had not uttered a peep since his arrival. It was not uncommon for Jr. to talk more than others, but he expected MOMO to eventually join his conversation. Then again, his so-called conversation was mind-numbingly immature, reminding Jr. to behave a tad more sophisticated in MOMO's presence. He _was_ the older one.

"Anyway…" Jr. cleared his throat before continuing. "Why'd you disappear, anyway? Allen and Shion's episode didn't offend you or anything, did it?"

Immediately, the boy recalled his less-than-impressive first reaction to Miyuki's melon gag. The U.R.T.V. skirted stitches, while MOMO innocently missed the joke. Did she think Jr. was laughing at her naivety? Was she simply disgusted by his childishness?

Biting his lip, Jr. absentmindedly rubbed the back of his head. _Aw great, don't tell me I accidentally insulted her like last time_. Memories of when he and MOMO first met reran in his mind, when Jr. inconsiderately cursed MOMO's father right in front of her face. He apologized by giving MOMO that charm bracelet, but _I'd better make it up to her again._

"No, it didn't exactly offend me," MOMO answered truthfully, reading the silent worries across Jr.'s face. Placing her hands on her lap, the young lady sat up straight. "All of my friends are older than me, so episodes like today's are bound to happen. I don't want everybody to baby me, after all." Frankly, she appreciated whenever her friends treated her equally. MOMO was not always a fan of Jr.'s colorful choice of words. Nevertheless, she was mature enough to respect his language, and MOMO was not impressionable enough to imitate his foul mouth, either. She would feel more uncomfortable if Jr. over-censored his vocabulary in her presence. Jr. should be himself, especially since MOMO liked him just the way he was. Giggling, the peach-haired girl smiled, "I may not be grown-up, but I'm a big girl. Hehe, if that makes sense."

Every ounce of Jr.'s self-proclaimed manhood hated to admit it, but MOMO's maturity was light-years ahead of his. Unable to prevent an admiring smile, Jr. nodded. "Sure it does, MOMO."

Returning her gaze to Jr.'s eyes, MOMO finally felt that she and him shared the same mindset. To MOMO, it seemed that Jr. understood her, and why would he not? Technically, the Realian and U.R.T.V. shared age issues – similar issues, albeit not identical.

Just as Mary said, Jr. had his own size complexes, since he, too, was much older than his physical appearance. Sometimes, MOMO wondered what he might look like if he aged normally. _Jr. and Gaignun are cloned brothers_, she calculated. _So an adult Jr. would probably look like Gaignun…or like Albedo, too, since he and Jr. were twins_. The likelihood of a grown-up Jr. resembling his grown-up siblings painted a pretty pleasing image in MOMO's mind, regardless of her blush.

Did MOMO ever paint a pleasing picture in Jr.'s mind?

Alas, like MOMO's, Jr.'s body was in no hurry to continue aging, either. By no means did such imply that MOMO disliked Jr.'s looks (quite the contrary). Naturally, MOMO could not begin to fathom the frustrations of a twenty-six-year-old man stuck in a twelve-year-old body. However, if Gaignun's behavior was any indication, MOMO wondered if maybe – just maybe – Jr. wished he could be lavished with women like his younger brother. And if MOMO felt self-conscious about her undeveloped body, maybe Jr…

Jr. would be lying if he said he never wondered about growing up. Jr. would also be lying if he said he never wondered about _MOMO_ growing up. But instead of riddling himself with endless what-ifs, the U.R.T.V. found a better, more satisfying solution to his and MOMO's agelessness.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure grown-ups have their fun," Jr. piped up, his cheeky grin resurrected. He was not ashamed to admire sexy women like Mary and Shelley, but he certainly did not feel short-changed to be sitting next to a charming young lady right now, either. Unlike during his dirty jokes from earlier, the boy's eyes now retained a degree of wisdom.

Childlike playfulness illuminated his sapphire eyes, but MOMO blushed her brightest when Jr. winked brilliantly. "But one thing I've learned is that if you don't age, MOMO, you'll stay cute forever." Many couples happily grow old together. Without the "growing old" aspect, all Jr. and MOMO had to worry about was being happily together.

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Apologies for the Allen-teases. I actually like Allen, and it's fun to tease him (though not nearly as fun as teasing Jr. ^^).

For fellow MOMO fans, I'm also celebrating the grand opening my DeviantArt group, **MOMO-XOXO**. It's a fanart club for our adorable little prototype:

**h t t p : / / m o m o - x o x o . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m /**

URL links are also available on my FFnet profile. If you're a fan of MOMO, or a fan of Kirschwassers and/or the Mizrahis, all are welcome to visit (and if you've got a DeviantArt account, feel free to join/watch the group, too!).

I hope you enjoyed this story! ^_~


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